8 GAY PEOPLE'S CHRONICLE JULY 7, 1995

COMMUNITY FORUM

A dream coming true

To the Editors:

Like Dr. Martin Luther King, I too "had a dream." A dream to unite my home town of Toledo and emancipate its long legacy of oppression, discrimination, and apathy. One main reason many of us left Toledo in 1980 was in search of identity, pride, and community. Our exodus took us across the nation, and due to AIDS, most never returned. I grieved their deaths knowing one day they could have come back home to a better place. It is the reason for my return in 1995.

As founder of Toledo Gay Pride Day, I knew this event would be historic. When I spoke to over 100 supporters at our rally on June 25, I knew I was speaking to an entire nation when I exclaimed that "I am the proudest gay male in Northwest Ohio."

It was sad that some Toledoans were not present to witness this event. I did respect their choice. I personally marched for those who could not, and those who wanted to. My mission had been accomplished knowing that for many years to come, Toledo Gay Pride Day would continue, with or without me. It was witnessed by thousands, thanks to positive media attention.

In the recent past, my arrogance was mistaken for my convictions. Along the way, there were some problems and misrepresentations due to lack of information on both ends. Egos were interrupted, and personal attacks on me were an everyday event by some who wanted to create a Pride Day, but never did anything about it. Pride picnics were fine, but a public gay, lesbian, bisexual, and transgender civil rights march? Out of the question. All sorts of ludicrous rumors began to fly, and a few death threats transpired. Fortunately, though, through continued efforts, all the controversy has been settled.

We proved everyone wrong on June 25, 1995. There was no opposition at our event. None. Did I deceive my community? Was this all in vain? Not in the least bit.

Gay Toledo had deceived itself long before my return. In the 1970s, we attempted to unite, but something got lost along the way. Issues were not important and most returned to their closets. I was there from the beginning, and many of us were not about to run back into closets we never knew. When someone, like myself, would aspire to plead to the

Community Forum

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THE SECRET SERVICE WELCOME WAGON...

THE CLINTONS

PLUSH RED CARPET FOR OPPONENTS OF GAYS IN THE MILITARY

Hoover

loover 26-95

OPEN PRARE SYNDICATE @

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community to unite, they were diverted. After meeting with long-time activists, who were burnt-out from their struggles, they were the ones to open the path for me. I was not the "Lone Ranger" as I was dubbed. We proved the positive nature of Toledo. We proved its strength within.

If I would have gone to local organizations for "permission" to have Toledo Gay Pride Day, I would never have received it. I went beyond them, and gained support globally. Another strategy was to create the "Toledo Gay and Lesbian Coalition,” knowing I had none, and knowing this coerced attempt would create one. It did. Though we have not chosen a name as yet, a gay, lesbian, bisexual, and transgender community council has truly been formed.

As a result of the Toledo Gay and Lesbian

รา

BLUE RUBBER GLOVES FOR GAY & LESBIAN VISTORS

AND HE GETS TO WIPE HIS FEET ON A BILL CLINTON DESIGNER DOORMAT

comfortable by my "radical tactics," helped realize our dream. I was never really alone as some thought.

So what's next for gay Toledo and I? We have so many neglected political and social issues to persevere, but I believe that they will be overcome and we can move on to better light.

You should have been here to see us unite before and after Toledo Gay Pride Day. It has happened. My dream come true. This is a new era for the northwestern Ohio gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgender community, and we proved that solidarity tolled the largest of bells, after all.

Coalition, Stonewall Toledo has been born; a Foul air

group that will focus on future PrideFests and hopefully assist in public relations for the Toledo gay community.

There were dozens locally and hundreds nationally who assisted in my mission here, and an endless list of activists that I can not thank enough. There are a few in particular that I must mention: the Gay People's Chronicle-without their staff, gay Toledo may have continued to be invisible; the National Gay and Lesbian Task Force; the International Association of Lesbian and Gay Pride Coordinators; and Stonewall Columbus were phenomenal advocates.

Locally, honorable mention must go out to members of the Gay and Lesbian Student Union at the University of Toledo and Tallulah's Book Store, along with Michael Johnson, David Klatt, Rev. Elaine Thomas, Brad Berger, Dr. Pam Allen-Thompson, Jeff Jackson, Steve Curtis, Michael Veres, Roberta de Boer, Tom Velker, Maggie Moore, all assisted in their own way, even down to the wire. So many others, including local organizations and individuals who were un-

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The following letter was sent to Dean Thatcher, general manager of WMJI radio station in Cleveland:

Dear Mr. Thatcher:

I telephoned you Tuesday June 20 to discuss a comment made by John Lanigan during his Tuesday morning show; specifically, his use of the epithet fag while he was delivering his tirade upholding the recent Supreme Court ruling against the gay and lesbian community's request to openly participate in the Boston St. Patrick's Day Parade.

I've enclosed a copy of the Wall Street Journal article which I read following Lanigan's harangue and, for the life of me, failed to find the word fag, or for that matter, any other discriminatory word usage. But, then, the Journal is truly a first-class, professional organization, while the same cannot be said about either Lanigan or his radio program. What surprised me further was that [Lanigan's sidekick] Jimmy Malone, who must be aware of how hateful certain words can be, never uttered a defensive word. I can only assume that Lanigan and company consider it totally acceptable to pander to the last acceptable bigotry. That's really too bad!

To ask Lanigan to publicly apologize would be a waste of time. That's not going to happen, and if it did, it wouldn't mean a damn thing. To ask you to reprimand him probably would have the same result. It's a sad commentary that Cleveland is subjected to someone of Lanigan's persuasion. I can only hope that more people than not were offended by that stupid comment and switched their radio dial. I did!

Hugh A. Hendry Avon Lake

Same moralistic talk

To the Editors:

I would like to applaud the editors of the Gay People's Chronicle for printing the misled ravings of PLAGAL, the Pro-Life Alliance of Gays and Lesbians, in the only format such offensive ideas are entitled to that of an opinion piece, and not that of a fullpage interview posing as "news."

There is nothing newsworthy about a group

GAY PEOPLE'S CHRONICLE

Volume 11, Issue 1

Publisher:

Business Manager:

Managing Editor:

Associate Editor:

Martha J. Pontoni

Patti Harris

Doreen Cudnik Brian DeWitt

Reporters & Writers: Barry Daniels,

John Graves, Jeff Hirst,

Michael M. Lederman, Nancy Marcus,

M.T. Martone, Michael Miller, Daniel Mullen, Timothy Robson, Paul Schwitzgebel, John Young Photographers:

Art Director: Production/Admin.:

Advertising Manager: National Advertising:

Barbara Bodemer, Beth Leonard Christine Hahn Gina Adkins David A. Ebbert Rivendell Marketing 212-242-6863 David A. Ebbert 800-426-5947

The Gay People's Chronicle is dedicated to providing a space in the Ohio lesbian-gay community for all of its members to communicate and be involved with each other. This means that every Chronicle, to the best of its ability, will be equally dedicated to both men's and women's issues, as well as issues that affect the entire community. This balance will provide lesbians and gay men with a forum to air grievances and express joys.

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of conservative fundamentalists who hypocritically claim to be pro-gay and anti-choice at the same time. There is nothing new about groups of people who want the government off their bodies, but actually fight to have the government dictate what others can do with theirs.

As lesbians, gays and bisexuals, this community has, on the one hand, an obligation to embrace the diversity within the gay rights movement. But on the other hand, no lesbian, gay and bisexual community has an obligation to put a stamp of approval on a fringe group whose mission it is to stifle the sexual and reproductive freedoms of our bisexual and heterosexual sisters.

The same forces in our political system that fight to create and preserve laws that dictate what lesbians, bisexuals and gay men do with their bodies also use the same moralistic rhetoric to dictate what bisexual and straight women may do with theirs. The gay rights movement and pro-choice movement strive for the same goal-to achieve the freedom to engage in non-reproductive sexual activity-and we fight the same enemies; those who believe their personal views about the most intimate decisions in life should be dictated as laws over the bodies and lives of all other citizens.

PLAGAL offers nothing new or newsworthy, to the Chronicle or to the gay community. PLAGAL only offers the same moralistic, irritating and oppressive ramblings that we already spend too much energy combating in our ongoing struggle for liberation.

Nancy Marcus Lakewood